Review: Dearly, Departed

Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel
Publisher: Del Rey
Publication Date: October 18th 2011
Pages: 470
Copy: Hardcover
Source: Library
Genre: Dystopian, Zombies
Goodreads

Love can never die.

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?

The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.

But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.

I love the background that has been put in place for the setting of the story and how Habel incorporated the Victorian styles of clothing and manners in a future setting with futuristic technology. The setting was really well out together and it was very obvious that Habel had a lot of knowledge about the era.

The background given for "The Laz," or the reason that there are people becoming "Zombies" was very well put together and seemed very realistic in the story. In the story, "The Laz" is a disuse passed through bodily fluids that makes a person die and then come back alive in a zombie like from.

The story is told in multiple points of view, including Nora, Bram, Wolfe, Pam, and Victor. When books are told in so many points of view I usually only find one point of view that I really like to follow but in this story I didn't find any of the character's points of view any less enjoyable than the others, though personally I preferred Bram and Nora's story.

 Spoiler Section May Contain information that the reader may not want to know before reading the book.

I loved the romance between Nora and Bram and how, because of the Victorian setting the romance was very subtle and old fashioned between the two of the characters. 

Review: Nevermore

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Publisher: Atheneum
Publication Date: August 31st 2010
Pages: 543
Copy: Paperback
Source: Library
Genres: Paranormal, Romance
Goodreads

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares. 


This books is a beautifully written story that is much like a paranormal version of Perfect Chemistry. 
 
My favorite character in this entire  book was probably Varen, the goth boy that Isobel gets paired with for her English report. Varen is a mysterious dark character at the beginning that it's very nice to get to know a bit after bit about him as Isobel and Varen spend more and more time together. 

This reminds me of Perfect Chemistry because both same the same "opposites attract" message that I love to see in Young Adult Literature. 


The relationship between Varen and Isobel is very gradual and you can really see them begin to fall for each other. Their relationship doesn't even begin to happen until the end of the book but when they finally become a couple it feels very rightly placed and a very natural place to add romance. 


The paranormal aspect is indeed very creepy. Varen has come up with this very real world in the dream would that is based off of Edgar Allen Poe's stories. Slowly, but surely Isobel does become tangled in Varen's nightmares.


The ending was very sudden, though I really wouldn't have written it another way. 


This is one of my favorite books of all time. 

Review: The Iron Knight

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: October 25th 2011
Pages: 361
Copy Type: Paperback
Source: LIbrary
Genre: Romance, Fantasy
Sub-Genes: Adventure
Goodreads

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

The Iron Fey series is the most exciting, unpredictable, and enchanting I have read in a long time. Writing a review for the last book in a series is always very difficult and this is no exception. 

This story begins in Ash's point of view. Ash's story begins with Puck (Robin Goodfellow) and the two going on a quest to find a way for Ash to once again join his love, Meghan in the Iron Kingdom which Ash can not currently survive in his fey form. 


The characters in this series all have very distinct and loveable personalities. My favorite characters in this series are Puck and Grim who are both very opposite figures. Puck is the loveable prankster from A Midsummer Night's Dream who can be found more ofter than not sneaking alligators in toilets or popping up when he is need the most. Grim however is the least humorble of the group who often acts as the brain or guide in most situations. 

The setting of this books is always either Enchanting or completely frightening. There are many pieces to the NeverNever the most common being the Wyldwood which is the mostly unpopulated woods in the Fey realm in which most of the traveling that the characters makes takes place. 

I love the imagination humor that is put in this story and I am completely satisfied with the ending that is presented in the end, though I never think I would be tired of the story. 

 

Review: Frost

Frost by Marrianna Baer

Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Publication date: September 13th 2011
Pages: 400
Copy Type: Hardcover
Copy Received by: Borrowed from Library
Genre: Haunting
Sub-genre: Romance

Goodreads Amazon Barnes and Noble

Leena Thomas’s senior year at boarding school begins with a shock: Frost House, her cozy dorm of close friends, has been assigned an unexpected roommate: confrontational, eccentric Celeste Lazar. But while Leena’s anxiety about a threat to her sanctuary proves valid, it becomes less and less clear whether the threat lies with her new roommate, within Leena’s own mind, or within the very nature of Frost House itself. Mysterious happenings in the dorm, an intense triangle between Leena, Celeste, and Celeste’s brother, and the reawakening of childhood fears, all push Leena to take increasingly desperate measures to feel safe. Frost is the story of a haunting. As to whether the demons are supernatural or psychological . . . well, which answer would let you sleep at night?

This is the kind of book that you end up thinking about long after you finish reading it. This was my Halloween read because I had been told that it had a sort of creepy factor which is quite true. Leena is very drawn to Frost house while her temporary roommate is convinced that the house wants her gone.

My favorite part of the book is the ending where the ending isn't really complete and you don't really know for sure what happened. It gives you something to think about and makes the book something you really can't forget. 

A draw back of the book is I felt little to no connection to any of the characters including the main character, Leena. They all fell flat for me personality wise and I often confused Leena's two friends. David, Leena's boyfriend bugged me an awful lot. He seemed much to over protective of his sister (Leena's roommate) excepted his sister's belief that the dorm was out to get her much to easily. 

This book was mildly creepy but I didn't really get creeped out at all and I wish that the scary parts had really made that impression on me.

Review: A Long Long Sleep

A Long Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

Pages: 342
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Date Published: August 9th 2011
Copy: Hardcover
Copy Received: Library

Teaser from Goodreads

Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for sixty-two years when she is woken by a kiss. Locked away in the chemically induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten subbasement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now, her parents and her first love are long gone, and Rose— hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire— is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat. Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existence, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes— or be left without any future at all.

Review

This is one of the most unique versions of dystopian I have ever read. Combined with a retelling of Sleeping beauty, this book is very interesting. 

The story starts very emotional with Rose's discovery of her long, long, sleep and that everyone she knew in her life is dead and what has happened since she was asleep. The beginning wasn't really as interesting as I had hoped in this book, it was pretty slow and not very interesting. 

 

In the middle it started to pick up in speed a little bit but somethings were confusing or difficult to completely understand.

 

In the end there's a few surprises that I never saw coming, and they're what made me enjoy the book the most. It really is unpredictable, though it seems like a weak ending for a stand-alone.

This book is for fans of fairy tale retelling or dystopian.

Review: Eon Dragoneye Reborn

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Allison Goodman


Pages: 536
Copy Type: Hardcover
Copy Received By: Borrowed from Library
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Date Published: December 26th 2008 
Teaser from Goodreads

Also Known As: Two Pearls of Wisdom, Eon: Rise of the Dragoneye, and Eon (All the same book just published with different publishers)
Eon has been studying the ancient art of Dragon Magic for four years, hoping he'll be able to apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune. But he also has a dark secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been living a dangerous lie for the chance to become a Dragon-eye, the human link to an energy dragon's power. It is forbidden for females to practice the Dragon Magic and, if discovered, Eon faces a terrible death. After a dazzling sword ceremony, Eon's affinity with the twelve dragons catapults him into the treacherous world of the Imperial court, where he makes a powerful enemy, Lord Ido. As tension builds and Eon's desperate lie comes to light, readers won't be able to stop turning the pages.

Review

This is a  historical fantasy that made a person like me, who tends not to like historical fiction, completely intrigued. This book is quite similar to Disney's Mulan in ways such as a girl acting to be a girl in a historical setting that also incorporates action and fantasy.

I found this book to be quite a change from many from the books I have read this summer. This book contains no romance, for example. 

I completely loved the character of Eon(a). It is very exciting, and suspenseful as you wonder if she, Eona is going to be discovered as being a girl or not, and it was very hard to predict what was going to happen in her life. 

Review: Anna and the French Kiss

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Pages: 372
Publisher: Dutton
Received by: Library (Planning to buy!)
Copy Type: Paperback

Teaser from Goodreads


Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

Review

I don't know if it's the characters, or the setting, or the adorable narration, or the fun use of french that's tossed in (Je parle un peu Francais, c'est vrai!) but this book is almost positively the best contemporary book I have ever read.


I normally can not stand contemporary  books, for the simple reason being they make me bored. This one did no such thing, though the teaser may seem a bit...eh...stale, the text is very lively and funny with a lot of personality and fun. 


The story is very, very suspenseful because you really can't figure out when the characters will finally get together. It's worth it, I promise. 


I totally loved Anna and St. Clair and their cute Paris adventures. It's a perfect book for a rainy day, or when you really want a vacation, and can't afford to hop on a plane to France. 

Go read it, NOW!

Review: Angel Burn

Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly 

Pages: 449
Copy Type: Hardcover
Copy Received by: Borrowed from Library
Publisher:Candlewick Press

Teaser from Goodreads

Willow knows she’s different from other girls, and not just because she loves tinkering with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into the future and know people’s dreams and hopes, their sorrows and regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where this power comes from. But the assassin, Alex, does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows more about Willow than Willow herself. He knows that her powers link to dark and dangerous forces, and that he’s one of the few humans left who can fight them. When Alex finds himself falling in love with his sworn enemy, he discovers that nothing is as it seems, least of all good and evil. In the first book in an action-packed, romantic trilogy, L..A. Weatherly sends readers on a thrill-ride of a road trip - and depicts the human race at the brink of a future as catastrophic as it is deceptively beautiful. They’re out for your soul . . . and they don’t have heaven in mind.

Review

If I had to sum this book up in less than one sentence I would say: Road trip story with a Paranormal twist. This book reminded me a lot of Crave [review] because in the beginning the both have a sort of kidnapping and going on the run aspect between two people that fall in love.

This book was highly intense, and gave a different view on Angels that I have never seen, Angels being the enemy. 

 

I really liked the setting of this book,  the open road, on the run. Books like this seem to stir excitement. 

I didn't really have any problems with this book at all. It was pretty easy to follow and had a lovely splash of romance! 

Review: A Need So Beautiful

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

Pages: 272
Copy Type: Hardcover
Copy Received By: Borrowed from Library
Publisher: Balzer & Bray

Teaser from: Goodreads

Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.

Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences.

Review

This book is what you want to read if you want something unique. A Need So Beautiful is unlike any book I've really read, because it never because certain what the main character really is, so it's hard to categorize it. 

 

When it came to the explanation that was given in the book for what was happening to Charlotte, it seemed scatter-brained to me, and hard to work together like it had been rushed on the page. 

 

I liked that this book was more mystery than anything else though even in the end, it bugged me that there was little to go on that would really make you understand the book.

 

This book is good for those who want something new.

Review: The Iron Queen

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Pages: 358
Copy Type: Paperback
Copy Received by: Borrowed from Library
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Teaser from Goodreads

The New York Times Bestseller
My name is Meghan Chase.
I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.
This time, there will be no turning back.

Review

Spoiler Free

This is the kind of review that I hate to right, because writing the review makes it sink in that the book is really over. This book is intense and enjoyable in every way. You begin the book really not sure what is going to end up happening, but as this series has proven to me, you can never really predict what will happen to the Fey.

You really get a different side of the characters Puck and Ash after the ending of Iron Daughter has changed the whole story, and of course they are whisked off to another adventure involving Iron Fey.

The ending left me on the verge of tears, and it takes a special book to do that to me. I could never have guessed that I would end up sad at the end of that book, it was breathtaking in every sense and I am now extremely impatient waiting for the Iron Knight to come out. 

Review: Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Pages: 487

Copy type: Hardcover

Book Received By: Borrowed from Library

Publisher: Katerine Tegen Books

Teaser from Goodreads

 Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances.

Review

This is the kind of book that no one can resist loving. When I had to put the book down to do other things I had this longing inside to go pick it up again because I needed to know what was going to happen.

The characters are all very entertaining and diverse that you either fall in love with a character or you hate them. Tris is someone you want to hug right away from the moment the introduction starts.

Even though I say this every time I pick up a dystopian book, I truly think this is one of the best books I have ever read. This might very well be the next Hunger Games or Harry Potter. Completely recommended. 

Review: The Iron Daughter

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Pages: 359
Type of Copy: Paperback
Received by: Borrowed from Library
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Teaser from Goodreads 

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.
Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.



First Reaction:

I much prefer the first book's cover to this one, though I do find it very nice. I read, loved and reviewed the fist book, which ended making me want more. I read the beginning and knew without a doubt that I would be reading the entire series.

Review

The good:  

I like these books because of their originality. To me they are a mix of romance meets Alice in Wonderland, and that is also true with this book.

In the Iron Daughter there is a (SPOILER ALERT) love triangle between Meghan, Puck and Ash. Julie Kagawa did a good job explaining Meghan's mixed and confused feelings for both of the boys and made me look at each character with a different light.

The characters reactions to some situations seemed very human and realistic. 

This entire series so far has had strikingly well written detail and believable characters that I can't help but wish were real.  

The Bad:

Some of the emotions that were described that Megan had for particular circumstances seemed unrealistic or exaggerated.

The ending seemed to be like an ending to a series, not a book. If I had not been aware that this was the last book I may have thought it was the end of the series. 


The Conclusion:
I loved the book in general, recommended.
 

 If you have been paying attention to my reviews you may have noticed that my reviews have been having varying layouts, I am testing various ways to review. If you like one form of a review, please let me know. 
Please help my reviews become better and comment.

Review: Falling Under

Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

Pages: 324
Type of Copy: Paperback
Received by: Borrowed from Library
Publisher: New America Library



Teaser from Gwen Hayes' Website

In her dreams he's irresistible--seductive, charming, and undoubtedly dangerous. But when he appears to her when she's awake--and captivates her just the same--she's not sure which way is up and which is down.

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life, not allowed the same freedoms as the rest of the teenagers in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, she feels every urge she's ever denied burning through her at the slightest glance from Haden Black. Theia knows she's seen Haden before--not around town, but in her dreams.
Theia doesn't understand how she dreamed of Haden before they ever met, but every night has them joined in a haunting world of eerie fantasy. And as the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her forward one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear. And as she slowly discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

First reaction: 


Okay, the main reason I requested this book from the library is because I love the cover. Who wouldn't? Of course I do find that covers with blond, curly haired girls is being a bit overused these days I really found this one quite enchanting. I love the black roses she's laying on and that she has on a necklace that is mentioned in the book. 

In the first few pages of the book, what really caught my eye was that the main character is from England, and living in America so the most distinct characteristic would probably be her accent, though I wish that British "lingo" had been incorporated a little more in the book. That would have been fun. 

I loved the main character's name. Theia is such a beautiful name, and so different from the names you hear.

Review 

I'm glad that this book didn't take the recent path of the vampire/demon craze, though it did take a similar path: demons. I find that there is a lack in original work in popular books today, this one did okay, but it did seem to branch off of slightly over used topics, though there are books in those topic that I adore.


I didn't really like that the book had sudden blurbs in different points of view in a different font, and then the blurbs didn't happen again for quite a bit later. When books are in different points of view I like it better when they alternate chapters or make it even between the blurbs. 


The ending was a bit difficult for me to comprehend, though I may have been reading a bit fast. I was very curious on how the book could end because some how I had it in my mind that it was a stand alone novel, and then after I finished it I looked it up and there's a second book coming up in January. I'm going to have to read it. 

Like always, feel free to critique my review. Let me know how I could make the review better for you and if I get rambled or side tracked or leave out a piece of info you would like to know about the books I read please comment. 

Review: Hush, Hush

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick 

Pages: 391
Type of Copy: Paperback + Audiobook from Library
Received by: RAK
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Teaser from Goodreads

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along.
With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment, but after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.
For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

First Reaction


I was not entirely drawn by the beginning of the book, which is the main reason I had to begin it with an audio book to keep my attention, but after the first 30 pages or so I quit listening to the audio book (mainly because the reader had a weird voice and read to slowly for me to follow along to) and read it on my own, and doing so I was able to get sucked in better.


Review
Most books that contain one plot line (meaning there aren't more than two or three things going on in the story) I find very predictable and I can guess the ending correctly, but in this one I had a hard time trying to figure out what was going to happen in the end, though the final ending did cross my mind it did have several twists that I would never have thought of.

I quite enjoyed all of the characters and I like that the main character, Nora had a minor medical condition that made the story line more realistic, in most  books it seems like the characters are near perfect even, and the added aspect that she had a medical condition made it seem more realistic.

The fact that Patch wasn't technically a good guy was different than other books. Most angel books seem to have a very strong good vs. bad aspect, and this one made me flip my view of the situation.


This biggest reason this book has four stars is because I was not drawn for about a fourth of the book. It did not seem to have a hook that I always look for in a book, but in the end it did pull though to get a good score.

Review: Abandon

Abandon, By Meg Cabot

Teaser from Barnes and Noble
Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.
But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.
Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.
But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

First Reaction
I like this book mainly because the story is told in a different way than I am used to. Most books I read the story is told as it happens, but this story is mainly told in the past tense.
I picked it up mainly because I had heard that this was Meg Cabot's first paranormal book, and I am a big fan of Paranormal. I have not read any of Meg's other books, but if they are anything like this one I can imagine they are very good.

Characters

Pierce: Two years ago Pierce died- and came back to life, after seeing the after life and a man, one that will no longer leave her alone.
John: The man Pierce meets when she's dead. (Will not reveal more to avoid spoilers)

Review
This book seemed to spend a lot of time explaining everything, so I felt like very little was accomplished in the story. It makes sense that they would explain the past of the characters, but when nothing really happened until the end, it began to get a bit dry.
The story may have been written better if they had done the story in present tense instead of past tense.

Please remember that I am holding a Giveaway

Review: Crave

Crave by Laura J. Burns & Melinda Metz

Teaser from Goodreads
Shay could never do the things her friends could--never try out for sports, never go to parties, never fall in love. Because of the mysterious and incurable blood disorder she was born with, she can barely make it through three days of school a week.

But now, her doctor-turned-stepfather has a brand-new treatment that he thinks will change everything. And it does. As soon as the new blood starts pumping into Shay's veins, she has visions of a different life...Gabriel's life. She sees an orphanage, loss, fangs, blood, and lust that she can't explain.

Is Gabriel real? And if he is, could he really be what she thinks he is?

First Reaction:
I got this book because I won a copy of the second book in a contest and had not yet read this one. If I had found this book on the shelf of a bookstore or library and read the back I would have mostly likely have picked it up. I find the teaser of this story very interesting, and I am glad that I got an ARC of the next book because I would never have read this one. 


Characters: 

Shay: Shay has been sick her entire life with an unheard of blood disorder. She can barley make it though 3 days of school and spent a good portion of her life roaming the country with her mom looking for a better doctor. Now her mom is remarried to a doctor who is treating Shay and he tries a new kind of treatment, one that seems to make her better, even if it's only temporary. But while she gets the treatment she gets visions, of Gabriel, and she can't get him off her mind.


Gabriel: Gabriel is a vampire. 
(I'm not adding more to his description to avoid adding spoilers.) 


Review:
This book is very original and fairly well written. The only problem I had with it was the beginning seemed.....hyper, rushed, and you didn't really get a feeling of what a normal day was for Shay, it seemed like the author jumped into the main story very fast, and there was little time to comprehend what the background was. 

Review for second book in the series coming in the next two weeks.

Review: Perfect Chemistry

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Teaser from Barnes and Noble

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.


First Reaction 
My first thoughts of this book was that it seemed to be a modern day forbidden love that was able to happen unlike other books of forbidden love. That was the aspect that first drew me to the book, and now after reading, why I love this story. This story is also told in two points of view by alternating chapters, which I love about this book.

Characters

Brittany- The model perfect girl who feels and wants to be anything but. At home she faces disrespecting parents and her disabled sister who she loves dearly and at school she's the lead cheerleader and has the perfect boyfriend (or so she thought). When she comes back to school from the summer she wants nothing but to get through the year and make it perfect, but she's not so sure she can do that when she begins crushing on a gang member.
Alex- A gang member who has two goals: Protect his family, and keep his brothers from joining the gang. On the first day of school he ends up with the most popular girl in school as her partner, Pretty girl Brittany. But then he begins to fall for her, and he's not sure what to do.


Review:
This book I recommend for anyone 14+. This is one of the best versions of forbidden love I have ever read, and the most realistic. There is no magic here (except love of course!)
This story takes you though the twists and turns of an unexpected couple and an unexpected love.

One of the Best!

Review: The Vampire Stalker

The Vampire Stalker 

by Allison Van Diepen

Teaser from Amazon.com
Amy is in love with someone who doesn't exist: Alexander Banks, the dashing hero in a popular series of vampire novels. Then one night, Amy meets a boy who bears an eerie resemblance to Alexander. In fact, he IS Alexander, who has escaped from the pages of the book and is in hot pursuit of a wicked vampire named Vigo. Together, Amy and Alexander set out to track Vigo and learn how and why Alexander crossed over. But when she and Alexander begin to fall for each other, Amy wonders if she even wants him to ever return to the realm of fiction.

Reaction:
The book pulled me in at the beginning ultimately because people such as me (book lovers) can relate the moment they begin reading while Amy tells us about her love for a fictional character and how she is awaiting the release of the next book in the series. I believe we have all had a crush on one book character or another and this one really gives us a chance to see a girl actually get a chance to meet the boy she has fallen in love with before they even meet in person.
 
Characters:
Amy: Amy is a fan of the Otherworld series like most teens and has a huge crush on one of the characters, Alexander Banks, but when she was coming home one night at dark she never would have guessed that her crush would come to her rescue when his enemy, vampire Vigo tries to attack her.
Alexander Banks: Supposed fictional character from the Otherworld series. While chasing his enemy Vigo across a bridge in his hometown of Chicago he gets sucked through a portal to another version of Chicago, our modern one where he runs into Amy.
Chrissy: Amy's snob of a younger sister who has been anything but nice to Amy since their parent's split.
Vigo: The vampire who killed all of Alexander's family and is now being hunted down by Alex himself in modern day Chicago after being pushed though the portal along with Alexander.

Review:
This was a very interesting and unique book and I completely enjoyed it. I have never read a book about a book character coming to life so this was a different experience. This would be a good book for both Vampire lovers and Vampire haters including the Twilight groups or anyone who has ever loved a book character like Amy.
 

 Totally Worth it!

Review: Hereafter

Teaser from barnesandnoble.com
Can there truly be love after death?
Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.
Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.
Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, Hereafter is a sensation you won't want to miss. 

Reaction
What first comes into mind when I think about this book is the beauty the story actually holds. The characters are lovely and strange at the same time.
This is one of the first times I've read a ghost story I've enjoyed so much, and it totally reminds me of a version of Twilight almost, but not in the same way


Characters:
Amelia- A lost ghost who can't remember anything other than her own name, her age, and the fact that she's dead, until she sees Joshua fall into the river she floats in, and all she can think about is the need to keep him from death too.
Joshua- Falls into a river and dies for a moment before coming back to life and begins to see things he couldn't before, like Amelia. 
Eli- The ghost that wants to take Amelia as his own and have her be his partner to steel lost souls for his masters.

Review
This is one of the best ghost stories I have ever read.The confusion of the Main character in the beginning and then the emotion and realization of her past life really make this a good book for young readers.  I recommend this book for fans of books such as Twilight, The House of Night series, or other paranormal/romance books.

Story: 88/100
Speed: 78/100
Originality:  85/100  

Review: Wither

Teaser From Booklist 

When scientists engineered genetically perfect children, everyone thought it would ensure the future of the human race. Though the first generation is nearly immortal, a virus causes all successive generations to die early: age 20 for women, 25 for men. Now, girls are kidnapped for brothels or polygamous marriages to breed children. Rhine is taken from her hardscrabble life and sold with two other girls to Linden Ashby. Though they live in a palatial Florida home surrounded by gardens and treated like royalty, the girls are sequestered from the outside world, and Rhine longs to escape. Her growing affection for her sister wives, her pity for Linden, and her fear of Housemaster Vaughn, Linden's manipulative father, keep her uncomfortably docile, until she falls for servant Gabriel. This character-driven dystopia, more thoughtful than thrilling, sets up an arresting premise that succeeds because of Rhine's poignant, conflicted narrative and DeStefano's evocative prose. Many will appreciate the intense character drama; however, the world building is underdeveloped, with holes in internal logic.Still, this first title in the Chemical Garden Trilogy will surely be popular. --Krista Hutley

Review:  

Wither is one of the most unique futuristic books I have read in a long time. The author does a wonderful job showing the emotional ups and downs that Rhine has to endure while she desperately tries to find a way out of the mansion that is holding her captive. 

Even without much information about the character at the beginning of the book I felt like you learned her entire past in the book, including her family, her brother Rowen and how she came to be taken as a wife. 

The description in this book is amazing, I could literally see the house she was living in, from the bedrooms the wives occupied, to the library where they spent much of their time. 

Rating:  

Story: 85/100

Speed: 70/100

Originality:  85/100

Overall: 80/100